For the Tea Party, it's always a case of, "What have you done for me lately?"

GOP Lt. Gov. Brian Calley is now fighting to keep his job next year, thanks to Tea Party leader Wes Nakagiri filing the requisite paperwork to challenge him.

This comes after months of grumbling from right-wing activists about Gov. Rick Snyder, as MLive columnist Tim Skubick has noted. Tea Partiers argue the guv has sold them out by backing Medicaid expansion (a key part of Obamacare that hasn't even been enacted yet in Michigan, as it's yet to win favor with the Republican-controlled Senate).

But rather than take on Snyder directly in the '14 election -- aside from a letter this summer signed by a couple dozen activists threatening to yank support -- Tea Partiers for now appear to be setting their sights a little lower.

Taking out Calley at next year's GOP convention would send a symbolic message, but that's about it. If Snyder won re-election, Nakagiri would never pierce through his inner circle to influence policy. And Calley would almost certainly remain part of the administration in some capacity.

Tea Partiers have long blasted so-called "establishment Republicans" for shutting them out. With Nakagiri on the ticket, activists would get a flesh-and-blood illustration of that -- which would probably only roil them more.

But targeting Calley instead of the governor also may indicate some strategy on the part of Tea Partiers. After all, the Washington Post ranks Michigan's gubernatorial election as one of the most competitive in the country.

If the Tea Party really went to war against Snyder, that could ensure that Democrat Mark Schauer takes the oath of office in January 2015.

And at this point, it's not clear that most Tea Partiers are ready to risk helping Schauer ascend to power.

Susan J. Demas is a political analyst and an award-winning journalist. She can be reached at sjdemas@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter here.